vsbabolat
Talk Tennis Guru
It looks blue in the sunlight
ready for testing! poly-poly string bed and sunshine for the next few days
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Head Speed Tour 2026
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
Yeah it does!
The frame is pretty plush feeling to me so I would go Blast.
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
Had my initial hit and was immediately comforted by how familiar it felt to me. I've used several control-oriented 97" sticks over the years and this is right in line with them. What takes getting used to is switching away from the easy power I get from my TFight and EZone frames. More to come... can't wait to keep playing.
Wrapped up two weekends of demoing this and it’s a really great racket. Plush feel on groundies and volleys with nice control. Not a spin monster racket but I was able to get good kick and slice with action and excellent flat pace on serves and it’s great for an all-around player who can generate their own spin and has linear and/or advanced strokes. If I decide PA98 is too stiff for me this is definitely a racket I’ll look at again, it’s so much more comfortable on the arm. I’d need a little time with the racket to adjust my stroke and it might be a hair advanced for me, but for strong players this has a ton of comfort and pop and feel.
ngoster
Semi-Pro
Strung up with Lynx Tour 17 Champagne mains (46#) and Iso Speed Baseline Speed 16L crosses (44#). Will start my playtest tomorrow.
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
I'd be interested in this comparison as well since I have both of those rackets and do really enjoy them.
Jingo
Rookie
I can do both, although note that some of my impressions of the PA 98 might be colored by what I suspect was an off-spec clunker.
Here's my Pure Aero 98 2026 vs Head Gravity Tour vs Speed Tour comparison:
Control: Speed Tour > PA 98 >> Grav Tour
Power: Grav Tour > PA 98 > Speed Tour
Spin: Grav Tour = PA 98 > Speed Tour
Comfort: Grav Tour = Speed Tour = PA 98 (yes, they're all arm-friendly)
Feel: Speed Tour > Grav Tour > PA 98
Launch angle (in terms of high vs low, not quality): Grav Tour > PA 98 > Speed Tour
Maneuverability: Speed Tour > PA 98 = Grav Tour
Racket head speed: Speed Tour > Grav Tour > PA 98
In summary, I'd say the Speed Tour is the best slightly classic, slightly modern player's stick of the bunch (and I'd argue, on the market)—for me, it's easily the most connected and no fuss. It's looking like an almost-boringly easy switch for me from the Rad MP/NordicDots 98 Pro. Just does everything well, even if it is slightly demanding in terms of making me go for everything (I'd never recommend it to a non-aggressive player).
I really wanted to like the PA 98 but it never really felt connected to me (again, maybe due to weird specs—the weight distribution was just too even across the middle for me to time my strokes). Feel was good on center and kind of muted off-center. Prefer the previous gen in feel, although that one annihilated my elbow.
Gravity Tour... well, I tried to love mine for a while. They hit cannon serves and a huge ball and had a terrific response but man, it always felt like I was just a mm from launching the ball into the back fence and feeling good about it (really wish they'd put in one more cross and/or slightly tightened up the top, or even shaved it down to 97—felt like the Gravity MP actually had a better pattern but was just too big).
Big_Dangerous
Talk Tennis Guru
Thanks!
I have a demo of the ST, PA98 26 and TF Fire 98 coming, so I'm excited to try those. I wanted to get the new Vcore98, but seemingly no place had a demo readily available in 3/8 size.
Can you say more about the Rad MP comparison? I use the Speed MP currently but I've been interested in finding a racquet that feels faster/whippier. I have a demo of the Speed Tour currently and it's nice, but I'm not sure it's worth the $100+ to buy over a 2023 Radical MP on discount.
Jingo
Rookie
I've found the Rad MP and the Speed Tour be be very similar rackets (head shape, beam, string spacing, launch, materials), assuming you get the specs aligned. The Rad MP starts out 5g lighter so it's less stable and powerful but a bit more nimble in stock form. I liked and played well with the 2023 Rad MP (which I added 5g to for stability and power) but was a little harsh on my arm over time. I didn't like the feel of the 2025 one (too thumpy and Auxetic-y), although it helped resolve the comfort issues. I'm sure I could have used firmer poly strings to bring out the feel but then I'd just have been getting the same thing as before.
Anyway, yeah. They're honestly pretty similar (which is what I wanted). To me, the Speed Tour is just a direct and very modest upgrade in a few key categories (feel, comfort, power, forgiveness) but they're incredibly similar in performance once you add in a little weight to match them up directly. No other two rackets are as similar to each other as these are, considering they're separate lines.
As for the Speed MP, I wanted to like it but I never could quite gel with the string spacing. Definitely hits a bigger ball (spin and power) than either the Rad PM or the Speed Tour. But these would both be considerably faster/whippier for sure, which is what I'm finding works best for me, despite all my flirtations with the Speed Pros and NordicDots 98 Pros and Blade Pros of the world.
taydbear7
Professional
Interested in hearing about the TF Fire 98.
Thank you! Appreciate the extra insight
curtstead
Professional
Got my Speed Tour. Haven’t measured the specs yet, will get that soon. It felt VERY fast. I’m assuming my SW is either on spec or maybe slightly under spec? I did get a few hours on court tonight with it though, indoors here in Atlanta. Strung it with Restring Zero 1.23 / Toroline Wasabi 1.23 at 49/47 pounds. (Polarizing string job color wise, but I think it looks awesome.)
TLDR; I really like this frame a lot. A lot of positives, but it’s not perfect. I’ve got a lot of early thoughts, and I’ll get more detailed in my review. As I’m writing this whole thing, I’m getting pretty in depth, but I got a lot out of one session! I played a good friend of mine, a very strong 4.0 who is pushing 4.5. He’s a very strong counter puncher, although he’s gotten more aggressive in the past year. I’m a mid 4.0, transitioning from aggressive baseliner to more of an all court player, with a OHBH.
Pros:
-Maneuverability: This frame is incredibly fast. Didn’t feel the supposed chunky feeling of a 23mm beamed 97 compared to like a PS97 or anything else. I’ve been hitting the Gravity Tour and the FT99 for the last month and a half, and this is faster than both. Gravity Tour feels more sluggish for sure, and this is just a bit faster than the Functional Tennis FT99. Reflex volleys, racket head speed on both serves and off the ground, any shot you have to modulate for quick thinking, this has you covered. 9 out of 10.
-Control: I’ll get this out of the way. It’s not super pin point, definitely lesser controlled of 97s I’ve hit (PS97, RF97, PK Black Ace Pro, maybe the same as the Pure Strike VS and the Vcore Pro 97?), but still VERY good overall. Better than most 98s on market, outside of maybe the Radical MP. I’d prob give the Rad MP the nod here on control, but barely. I painted the lines on a couple shots where that was the only way the ball was going to go in for the shot I was trying to hit. However, it did sail on me a few times when going for flatter drives, but it was still good on average. Control would be a solid 8 out of 10.
-Power: There is plenty of easy depth and good top end power. It’s the most powerful 97 I’ve ever hit outside of the RF97. Again, this is in stock form at 305g and what may be underspec SW. Some balls land short if you arm it, but I’d say there’s more here compared to a Radical MP, any of the other 97s on market, maybe the same as the Prince ATS Tour 98? I actually think that’s a good comparison power wise. Not quite as much plow through as the ATS Tour 98, but I think solvable with weight. I found the most power on tap on first serves. Speaking of..
-Serves: This frame is a serving dream. So easy to hit both slice and kick, and I hit some serious flat bombs. My friend’s a great returner for our level, and I hardly ever get free points out of him. Could just be a good night, but when I served well, I got a lot out of him. I also loved hitting overheads with this frame when I forced higher short balls.
Cons:
-Stability: With only 305g static and not the highest swingweight, and with how quick it is, figured it would struggle here and it did. At net, some volleys outside of sweetspot caused the frame to twist, and some groundies too. I think my specific frame would be interesting to add weight at 3 and 9, but per rules, gotta stay stock for now.
-Forgiveness: Is the sweetspot good for a 97? Yes. Is it big in terms of the general market? No. Off center does not feel super forgiving, and in line with the lack of stability, I was shanking a bit. I’m sure this will get better in time and it did as the night went on, but don’t expect a sweetspot of the Pro and the MP here. I can say this is definitively less forgiving than the Gravity Tour and the FT99. Maybe a bit more than the Radical MP? Prob close to the same honestly, but just a bit more easy lift compared to that racquet. I was also on the Black Ace Pro 97 playtest, and I think even that frame had a bigger sweetspot than the Speed Tour. Speed Tour is far more maneuverable though to make up for it, and has the same if not more top end power imo. It gives a bit more for free than that frame. I also HATED the BAP on slice for some reason, and it’s much better here. So, good forgiveness for a 97, but on the lower side on the general market I think.
Just some early thoughts. I will give more thoughts and happy to answer questions until I eventually get to my final review.
TLDR; I really like this frame a lot. A lot of positives, but it’s not perfect. I’ve got a lot of early thoughts, and I’ll get more detailed in my review. As I’m writing this whole thing, I’m getting pretty in depth, but I got a lot out of one session! I played a good friend of mine, a very strong 4.0 who is pushing 4.5. He’s a very strong counter puncher, although he’s gotten more aggressive in the past year. I’m a mid 4.0, transitioning from aggressive baseliner to more of an all court player, with a OHBH.
Pros:
-Maneuverability: This frame is incredibly fast. Didn’t feel the supposed chunky feeling of a 23mm beamed 97 compared to like a PS97 or anything else. I’ve been hitting the Gravity Tour and the FT99 for the last month and a half, and this is faster than both. Gravity Tour feels more sluggish for sure, and this is just a bit faster than the Functional Tennis FT99. Reflex volleys, racket head speed on both serves and off the ground, any shot you have to modulate for quick thinking, this has you covered. 9 out of 10.
-Control: I’ll get this out of the way. It’s not super pin point, definitely lesser controlled of 97s I’ve hit (PS97, RF97, PK Black Ace Pro, maybe the same as the Pure Strike VS and the Vcore Pro 97?), but still VERY good overall. Better than most 98s on market, outside of maybe the Radical MP. I’d prob give the Rad MP the nod here on control, but barely. I painted the lines on a couple shots where that was the only way the ball was going to go in for the shot I was trying to hit. However, it did sail on me a few times when going for flatter drives, but it was still good on average. Control would be a solid 8 out of 10.
-Power: There is plenty of easy depth and good top end power. It’s the most powerful 97 I’ve ever hit outside of the RF97. Again, this is in stock form at 305g and what may be underspec SW. Some balls land short if you arm it, but I’d say there’s more here compared to a Radical MP, any of the other 97s on market, maybe the same as the Prince ATS Tour 98? I actually think that’s a good comparison power wise. Not quite as much plow through as the ATS Tour 98, but I think solvable with weight. I found the most power on tap on first serves. Speaking of..
-Serves: This frame is a serving dream. So easy to hit both slice and kick, and I hit some serious flat bombs. My friend’s a great returner for our level, and I hardly ever get free points out of him. Could just be a good night, but when I served well, I got a lot out of him. I also loved hitting overheads with this frame when I forced higher short balls.
Cons:
-Stability: With only 305g static and not the highest swingweight, and with how quick it is, figured it would struggle here and it did. At net, some volleys outside of sweetspot caused the frame to twist, and some groundies too. I think my specific frame would be interesting to add weight at 3 and 9, but per rules, gotta stay stock for now.
-Forgiveness: Is the sweetspot good for a 97? Yes. Is it big in terms of the general market? No. Off center does not feel super forgiving, and in line with the lack of stability, I was shanking a bit. I’m sure this will get better in time and it did as the night went on, but don’t expect a sweetspot of the Pro and the MP here. I can say this is definitively less forgiving than the Gravity Tour and the FT99. Maybe a bit more than the Radical MP? Prob close to the same honestly, but just a bit more easy lift compared to that racquet. I was also on the Black Ace Pro 97 playtest, and I think even that frame had a bigger sweetspot than the Speed Tour. Speed Tour is far more maneuverable though to make up for it, and has the same if not more top end power imo. It gives a bit more for free than that frame. I also HATED the BAP on slice for some reason, and it’s much better here. So, good forgiveness for a 97, but on the lower side on the general market I think.
Just some early thoughts. I will give more thoughts and happy to answer questions until I eventually get to my final review.
ngoster
Semi-Pro
Had my first outing tonight. Initial impressions are very positive. The frame feels solid. Power is easy. There was no problem getting the ball deep. The shots also looked heavy. I knocked my buddy back a few times and surprised him a few times into hitting shots into the net where it looked like he misjudged its speed. Very maneuverable off the ground and at net. Spin was ok. Launch was low and flat for me, which I'm completely good with. One thing stood out. This frame really likes to drive down on the ball. I crushed some high bouncers tonight. The honeymoon is starting off very well. This one may be a keeper.
I hit it side by side against my weighted CX200T16. Power, spin and launch were all greater with the ST with control going to the CX. I will try it against my SX300T and Ultra Pro 97 v3 16 in upcoming outings.
I hit it side by side against my weighted CX200T16. Power, spin and launch were all greater with the ST with control going to the CX. I will try it against my SX300T and Ultra Pro 97 v3 16 in upcoming outings.
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Orezap
Rookie
So in terms of linear directional strokes think Sinner and cannon first serves and seconds(slice, kick etc) and 2hbh would u recommend the ST97 out of the 3? Im coming from a Blade Pro v9 18x20 and went ahead and bought PA98 2026 but i cant gel with it. Thus, im between the two Heads. Above all, i want comfort, feel, low launch angle and great power/control ratio.
Jingo
Rookie
If those are your options and priorities, then yes, I can see the Speed Tour being a great fit (although I think the Grav Tour edges out the Speed Tour for me on the backhand). Coming from the Blade Pro, I’m surprised the Speed Pro isn’t in your mix too, as I’ve found that to be similar (except the feel, which was clearly in a lower tier, but it’s a Blade Pro ffs). You’ll likely find the Speed Tour to swing very fast in comparison to your Blade, although I’m sure you could tame that with lead.
vsbabolat
Talk Tennis Guru
I got my stick. It’s very blue in person and I like the cosmetics quite a lot.
Orezap
Rookie
i actually have the Speed Pro Legend Hybor. This was my 1st choice but didnt gel with the frame. The patterns seems very open to me. Could barely identify difference with MP. Most importantly, the Hybor didnt click with my wrists. Started having some pains.
Jingo
Rookie
The center's the same for the Pro and the MP but the MP really opens up a lot (that's my problem with it—I feel like I get some erratic responses based on small differences in contact). Not that I ever gelled with the Speed Pro. Something about the weight distribution never let me feel like I could just let go (had this issue a bit with the new Aero 98).
Brief update on the Speed Tour:
As I mentioned, mine came in at 303g. As a result, it feels just a bit more head-heavy than a previous demo was. Preferred the demo balance, so I'll be adding just a couple grams to the handle to bring mine up to spec, now that I've played with it in stock form (albeit off-spec stock). I suspect that's all it needs to swing the way the earlier demo did. I'm still enjoying it—just want to get that perfectly connected feel from my demo back.
It's wild how these kinds of things so strongly affect impressions—I'm glad the first one I used was the way it was, but imagine all the cool rackets that have been dragged down by small QC issues (here's looking at you, new Aero 98 spec slot machines).
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Federerkblade
Hall of Fame
curtstead
Professional
Short update here.
Got about 10 hours on court now with the Speed Tour, and I am gelling with it more and more. I can't believe I'm saying this to a 97 square inch frame after going larger in recent years, but I am pretty sure I'll end up switching to this frame at the end of the playtest. It's not perfect, but it certainly seems to fit my more aggressive style. I think what separates it from the GT98 is it's just so much more consistent. More controlled and tighter 16x19 patterns really seem to be where it's at for me.
I can simply trust the Speed Tour as long as I'm hitting in the sweetspot, which I am finding a bit more forgiving the more I play with it. Again, I am dialed in now so maybe I'm just consistently hitting it, but it's definitely got the biggest sweetspot of any 97 inch frame I've hit. I actually think it's closer to the size of maybe your standard 98? So good! Not gigantic as I said in my previous post, but still good relative to it's competition in the market. Also, I have never hit so much top spin on my OHBH. This is definitely the most spin friendly 97 I have ever hit. It's not close. Just stay on the gas, trust yourself, take big cuts. You will be rewarded.
I'll cut out the Zero / Wasabi hybrid and try something else just for kicks, but pretty excited to drop my full review on this. Another 10 hours and I should be good to go to drop my full thoughts! This is a great racquet. I just wish Head released this in the Legend paintjob and it would be outstanding. The stock paintjob is... eh? Just okay? If anyone from Head is listening, put the Legend paintjob on the Tour!!!!!
Got about 10 hours on court now with the Speed Tour, and I am gelling with it more and more. I can't believe I'm saying this to a 97 square inch frame after going larger in recent years, but I am pretty sure I'll end up switching to this frame at the end of the playtest. It's not perfect, but it certainly seems to fit my more aggressive style. I think what separates it from the GT98 is it's just so much more consistent. More controlled and tighter 16x19 patterns really seem to be where it's at for me.
I can simply trust the Speed Tour as long as I'm hitting in the sweetspot, which I am finding a bit more forgiving the more I play with it. Again, I am dialed in now so maybe I'm just consistently hitting it, but it's definitely got the biggest sweetspot of any 97 inch frame I've hit. I actually think it's closer to the size of maybe your standard 98? So good! Not gigantic as I said in my previous post, but still good relative to it's competition in the market. Also, I have never hit so much top spin on my OHBH. This is definitely the most spin friendly 97 I have ever hit. It's not close. Just stay on the gas, trust yourself, take big cuts. You will be rewarded.
I'll cut out the Zero / Wasabi hybrid and try something else just for kicks, but pretty excited to drop my full review on this. Another 10 hours and I should be good to go to drop my full thoughts! This is a great racquet. I just wish Head released this in the Legend paintjob and it would be outstanding. The stock paintjob is... eh? Just okay? If anyone from Head is listening, put the Legend paintjob on the Tour!!!!!
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
I got a couple more hours on mine too (want to get over 10 before I review it) and I'd say without spoilers that it's definitely a Speed and it's definitely a 97, for all the good and the bad that such a statement connotes. I do think Wilson is going to have to be a little worried that some more Blade 98 users could get tempted away in favor of something whippier and more fun. More to come...
ReopeningWed
Professional
My hot take is the Speed Tour is between an EZONE and a VCore. We're getting the EZONE power and lower launch angle, the spin production and arm friendliness of the VCore, the stability on impact, but with the Head sweet spot that is known for being a bit smaller but very concentrated in how good the feeling of the ball leaving the middle of the racket is.
I've heard the criticism of the expanded Yonex sweet spot is it can be difficult to tell the difference between a good ball and a bad ball in terms of feedback, and the Speed Tour very good at giving feedback on your ball. I don't think it's for everyone, but this racket is ready to compete in stock form and I think it accommodates different strings and different swings well.
I've heard the criticism of the expanded Yonex sweet spot is it can be difficult to tell the difference between a good ball and a bad ball in terms of feedback, and the Speed Tour very good at giving feedback on your ball. I don't think it's for everyone, but this racket is ready to compete in stock form and I think it accommodates different strings and different swings well.
The Yonex comments I agree with re: 2025 ezone 98 that I've had since launch. The 8th gen vcore 98s I've demoed I felt had enough feel to determine contact quality (I.e., it's "good enough" to play my best). I rate them similarly to my Speed MP 2024s in this regard.
However, I do think the feel from the Speed Tour is even cleaner.
fullwesternforehand
Rookie
String and tension used for test: Babolat Rpm Blast Rough (Flouro Red) 16L at 50 pounds
Tennis experience/background: I've been playing for about 13 years now. I played in HS, College, and now coach on the side. I invest about 10-14 hours of the week on court.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I am more of a counterpuncher that likes to go to the net when possible to avoid long rallies. As the name entails, I do have a full western grip forehand that I have been slowly trying to get rid of. My backhand is as flat as can be, and like to use a lot of slice and topspin serves. I would like to say I have pretty decent volleys since I feed a lot when I coach, and play a lot of doubles.
Current racquet/string setups: I have always used the babolat aeros, ever since the 2010 cortex. I have them all since that generation and have always naturally liked them. I will use the 2012 pure drive every now and then, and have recently taken a liking to the v9 and v8 wilson blades. As far as string, I use rpm blast rough, luxilon 4g, luxilon ALU, and hyper g. Those are my 4 strings I constantly rotate and hybrid with each other, always strung at 48-52 pounds.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I hit with it for about a solid 20 hours. Those 20 were spent hitting, rallying, and playing sets. I probably spent about another 6 or so hours feeding balls with it.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: For starters, this is my true first racquet going below 98 inches in head size. At times, I feel like the wilson blade is a bit too small for me, and is not really forgiving if I am not hitting the perfect center, so I was curious as to how the speed would play. I can say, it does NOT play like a 97. I would have thought it was a 100 if you told me. I did not have to make any adjustment whatsoever. It swings really nice in the sense that it feels sturdy enough to handle heavy pace, but is forgiving. The spin is ok, it is really hard to beat the aeros in the spin department, but power was pretty good. I would say it has more power than a blade, but less than an aero or pure drive. The racquet rewards you if you can handle the higher swingweight and heft to it by giving you stability without compromising spin and feeling connected to the ball. Overall, as a spinny style player, it was just ok, but did force me to fully swing out
-Serves: This racquet is a bit heavier and stable, which made it a bit hard to swing for me as I gravitate toward a lighter feeling racquet. Even though it is only 305g, It feels heavier than that on the swing for my spin and slice serves. Compared to the Wilson blade, which is also 305g, this is way heavier feeling and needs some muscle to swing upwards. I will say though, that if you can get past that heavier feeling, the racquet does feel accurate to point and shoot where you want to place your serve.
-Volleys: This is where the racquet shines in my opinion. It has a nice feel that has you connected to the ball, sort of like the countervail they introduced to the Wilson line some years ago, but without the excessive mutedness. It is really stable at net, and lets you volley wherever you want the ball. Even when I was rallying and volleying with some bigger hitters, the racquet did not flutter and absorbed pace really well.
-Serve returns: This was also another place where I liked the racquet. Its sturdiness helped return and chip some big flat serves coming in my way, or even some big groundstrokes. If you want to take full swings at the ball on the return, you can probably get away with maybe not hitting the perfect center since it is so forgiving and plays larger than a 97inch racquet.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The racquet has less power than what I am used to, but not by much. I've played with radicals before, and it feels like a lateral step in terms of power. I can compare its control to that of a Wilson blade v9 since it is the same weight and similar head size, but with more power. The control is not jarring like a prestige or lower powered racquet, which makes it nice for someone that maybe is a bigger hitter looking for some nice heft without sacrificing power.
Top Spin/Slice- Personally, because I use extreme grips and rely on fluid/powerful racquets to generate my spin and pace, I don't think I liked its lack of slice and topspin. I felt like because it swung a bit heavier, chipping was easy, but really having to swing out was the key for spin.
Comfort- This is where the racquet shines in my opinion. I did put some softer string in it, but I could tell this is a comfortable racquet. As mentioned earlier, it has this distinct comfort/feel that is similar to the Countervail tech from the Wilson racquets some years ago, but without feeling overly muted. I did string it kinda low and out poly in it, but I feel like maybe you can put some stiffer string in it and it will handle it pretty well.
Feel- The feel was similar to the Countervail tech as mentioned before. It is really comfortable and has you feeling connected to the ball in not a jarring way. It is really good with volleys and ground strokes, as it does absorb really well and does not feel stiff at all. I am used to the pop that my stiff aeros and pure drives give me, but this was a comfortable racquet that was not overly muted and still had some nice power.
Maneuverability- This is a bit wishy washy for me, but I blame my style of play for it. The racquet does play heavier than what I am used to, and is a smaller headsize, but Istill enjoyed it none-the-less. It was solid feeling on volleys, as it did not twist when volleying with bigger hitters. It was maybe not the best for slices and quickly whipping around when I needed to, but to be fair, I do play with extreme grips. It was more maneuverable in the sense that it played bigger than a 97 inch head racquet, but that's about it.
Stability- Overall, this was the biggest highlight of playing with the tour version of this racquet. It weighs 305g, but plays much more stable than the Wilson blade, which is also a 305g. The stability rewards bigger hitters that can fully swing it, and does not sacrifice maneuverability as much as other heavier playing racquets. It is really good at volleying, as I never felt it flutter in my hand, even with the 97inch head size.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, this felt like a good transition racquet from someone who comes from a tweener style 100 inch racquet to a more traditional, smaller, heftier style racquet. I cannot get over how big it felt, even if it was just a 97. I referenced the wilson blade V9/8 a lot because it is the closest I know to a 305 that is under 100 inch head size. The racquet had a lot of countervail-like feel, but not overly muted. If you can handle the heavier load of this racquet, or finding yourself wanting a bit more heft and come from a tweener background, I would seriously consider this racquet.
As always, thank you to TW and to all those who made this playtest possible, Thank you all!!!!
Tennis experience/background: I've been playing for about 13 years now. I played in HS, College, and now coach on the side. I invest about 10-14 hours of the week on court.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I am more of a counterpuncher that likes to go to the net when possible to avoid long rallies. As the name entails, I do have a full western grip forehand that I have been slowly trying to get rid of. My backhand is as flat as can be, and like to use a lot of slice and topspin serves. I would like to say I have pretty decent volleys since I feed a lot when I coach, and play a lot of doubles.
Current racquet/string setups: I have always used the babolat aeros, ever since the 2010 cortex. I have them all since that generation and have always naturally liked them. I will use the 2012 pure drive every now and then, and have recently taken a liking to the v9 and v8 wilson blades. As far as string, I use rpm blast rough, luxilon 4g, luxilon ALU, and hyper g. Those are my 4 strings I constantly rotate and hybrid with each other, always strung at 48-52 pounds.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I hit with it for about a solid 20 hours. Those 20 were spent hitting, rallying, and playing sets. I probably spent about another 6 or so hours feeding balls with it.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: For starters, this is my true first racquet going below 98 inches in head size. At times, I feel like the wilson blade is a bit too small for me, and is not really forgiving if I am not hitting the perfect center, so I was curious as to how the speed would play. I can say, it does NOT play like a 97. I would have thought it was a 100 if you told me. I did not have to make any adjustment whatsoever. It swings really nice in the sense that it feels sturdy enough to handle heavy pace, but is forgiving. The spin is ok, it is really hard to beat the aeros in the spin department, but power was pretty good. I would say it has more power than a blade, but less than an aero or pure drive. The racquet rewards you if you can handle the higher swingweight and heft to it by giving you stability without compromising spin and feeling connected to the ball. Overall, as a spinny style player, it was just ok, but did force me to fully swing out
-Serves: This racquet is a bit heavier and stable, which made it a bit hard to swing for me as I gravitate toward a lighter feeling racquet. Even though it is only 305g, It feels heavier than that on the swing for my spin and slice serves. Compared to the Wilson blade, which is also 305g, this is way heavier feeling and needs some muscle to swing upwards. I will say though, that if you can get past that heavier feeling, the racquet does feel accurate to point and shoot where you want to place your serve.
-Volleys: This is where the racquet shines in my opinion. It has a nice feel that has you connected to the ball, sort of like the countervail they introduced to the Wilson line some years ago, but without the excessive mutedness. It is really stable at net, and lets you volley wherever you want the ball. Even when I was rallying and volleying with some bigger hitters, the racquet did not flutter and absorbed pace really well.
-Serve returns: This was also another place where I liked the racquet. Its sturdiness helped return and chip some big flat serves coming in my way, or even some big groundstrokes. If you want to take full swings at the ball on the return, you can probably get away with maybe not hitting the perfect center since it is so forgiving and plays larger than a 97inch racquet.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The racquet has less power than what I am used to, but not by much. I've played with radicals before, and it feels like a lateral step in terms of power. I can compare its control to that of a Wilson blade v9 since it is the same weight and similar head size, but with more power. The control is not jarring like a prestige or lower powered racquet, which makes it nice for someone that maybe is a bigger hitter looking for some nice heft without sacrificing power.
Top Spin/Slice- Personally, because I use extreme grips and rely on fluid/powerful racquets to generate my spin and pace, I don't think I liked its lack of slice and topspin. I felt like because it swung a bit heavier, chipping was easy, but really having to swing out was the key for spin.
Comfort- This is where the racquet shines in my opinion. I did put some softer string in it, but I could tell this is a comfortable racquet. As mentioned earlier, it has this distinct comfort/feel that is similar to the Countervail tech from the Wilson racquets some years ago, but without feeling overly muted. I did string it kinda low and out poly in it, but I feel like maybe you can put some stiffer string in it and it will handle it pretty well.
Feel- The feel was similar to the Countervail tech as mentioned before. It is really comfortable and has you feeling connected to the ball in not a jarring way. It is really good with volleys and ground strokes, as it does absorb really well and does not feel stiff at all. I am used to the pop that my stiff aeros and pure drives give me, but this was a comfortable racquet that was not overly muted and still had some nice power.
Maneuverability- This is a bit wishy washy for me, but I blame my style of play for it. The racquet does play heavier than what I am used to, and is a smaller headsize, but Istill enjoyed it none-the-less. It was solid feeling on volleys, as it did not twist when volleying with bigger hitters. It was maybe not the best for slices and quickly whipping around when I needed to, but to be fair, I do play with extreme grips. It was more maneuverable in the sense that it played bigger than a 97 inch head racquet, but that's about it.
Stability- Overall, this was the biggest highlight of playing with the tour version of this racquet. It weighs 305g, but plays much more stable than the Wilson blade, which is also a 305g. The stability rewards bigger hitters that can fully swing it, and does not sacrifice maneuverability as much as other heavier playing racquets. It is really good at volleying, as I never felt it flutter in my hand, even with the 97inch head size.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, this felt like a good transition racquet from someone who comes from a tweener style 100 inch racquet to a more traditional, smaller, heftier style racquet. I cannot get over how big it felt, even if it was just a 97. I referenced the wilson blade V9/8 a lot because it is the closest I know to a 305 that is under 100 inch head size. The racquet had a lot of countervail-like feel, but not overly muted. If you can handle the heavier load of this racquet, or finding yourself wanting a bit more heft and come from a tweener background, I would seriously consider this racquet.
As always, thank you to TW and to all those who made this playtest possible, Thank you all!!!!
SupremeCourt
Rookie
There seems to be little consensus on this one re: power on ttw, Reddit and YouTube. Some say it rivals the highest power 98s. Others say there is no put a way power. I haven’t seen such a discrepancy in a while.
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
Could certainly be a QC thing. My stick feels like a pretty head-light balance and my guess is that if the weight was distributed more to the head, or if I put 4g or so at 12, I could get some more power out of it. But yeah to call at least the specific frame I have a rival to power 98s like EZone (or even the TFight 305S) would be absurd.
Maybe some people are confusing it being whippy with being powerful because they're swinging faster than normal?
It’ll be a mix due to QC, set up, technique and racquet experience. Play testing for yourself is really the only way to know.
vndesu
Hall of Fame
String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Tour 17g at 48
Tennis experience/background: Former Community College player but struggling to play as often now that I have kids lol. 4.0.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Agressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Yonex Vcore 98 tour with tour bite 17g at 48
How many hours did you play with the racquet? About 20 hrs mainly on ball machine and some tie breakers with teammates.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
Groundstrokes with this racket was easy to me on both the fh and bh side. It felt like a more powerful prostaff but having that classic touch and response from the baseline. I did have to adjust my backhand swing with this one a bit as even though it is a open pattern racket, I wasnt getting the launch angle like I would with my vcore tour. I felt that when flattening out my shots the racket shines the most, but in terms of using spin, I found myself having to really get under the ball and work a bit to generate spin.
-Serves:
Control was the name of the game for me and I found myself hitting my targets when serving. When hitting my slices and kicks, since the racket swung so quickly I felt like I was getting good action on the ball but I think I wouldve liked to add a bit more tailweight to get the racket more whippy. Overall control was really good and if I had a knock, I just didnt have enough pacing to push my opponets backs in doubles.
-Volleys:
Really point and shoot for me with volleys. I never really had too much touch for my game but pick up half volleys to regular volleys I feel like the stock racket had enough where it wasnt unstable in my hands. Just like my overall thoughts and feel of this racket, I would probably like to compare and add a leather as well as just a smidge of weight to see if this really opens up the racket since it swings quickly through the air.
-Serve returns -
Just like I mentioned in the ground strokes, was never pushed around on returns. Felt really confident when stepping in and ripping the ball as the racket speed and balance felt fine. I did find myself in some trouble when trying to loop the ball in, but just needed a short adjustment period to really dial in and focus on getting under the ball and using the rackets strength of stability and swing speed it gave me.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was about a 8 for me and control was a 9. Ive tried lynx tour in many rackets, but feel like I might have to throw on something else and even might tinker with dropping the tension a bit bc I felt like even when stringing at 48, I couldve gone lower and still maintain control while getting a bit more pocketing and power. After this initial review, I will probably try something like Head Hawk Touch and see if that will help, but overall not too bad.
Top Spin/Slice-
Top Spin for me was about a 7.5 and slice was a 9. I found more success when it came to driving through the ball than looping. It could be just me but again like I previously mentioned, the open pattern on my vcore tour shows more than the speed tour but the trade off youd get is more control. My slices felt pretty dirty as it stayed low and again with the racket swinging so quick I was able to cut and drive the ball in any direction.
Comfort-
Comfort to me was fine and comes in at a 9. I had no issues with the setup, weight, and stock balance. Even with a full poly set up there was no issue and I though I mentioned I could go lower in tension, I feel like people who use a tension thats in the mid 50's wouldnt have an issue.
Feel -
Really good feel for me, just slightly muted but nothing too crazy. I wasnt too big of the aux 2.0 speed mp that followed after my fav speed mp, but with the current speed tour it felt fine all around. I think regardless if you use a dampener or not, you can still get good feedback on the racket.
Maneuverability-
This is def a 9.5 in my books. Ive already mentioned how fast this racket swings and with the stock weight and balance it just felt good, but can be even better with a bit more tailweight to whip through the ball more. Im hoping that when adding a leather and some weight that it doesnt take away too much from the speed but I am looking forward to see if that helps me with the spin department.
Stability-
9/10. Even on some off centered hits, I felt well in control with this racket. I do think it is stable but could benefit for a bit more weight when I compare the vcore and speed tour side by side. I feel like I have more heft and plow with the vcore, but swinging fast and still staying stable on off centered hits with the speed had less fatigue on me. Overall a really good stable racket.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
When going into this play test, I was really excited to see how this would compare to the MP mold since I used the speed MP previously. While its not as free power and spin as the MP, the control and easy to swing really shined with this racket. I know I knocked the racket for not having as much spin despite having a racket that can swing so quick, but its more of a me thing since I come from a more fairly open and spin racket. I will def circle back and compare my notes once specing up the racket to my liking, but overall I feel like players that like a fast swinging racket and that can generate their own spin and power will really enjoy it.
Thank you TW and Head for the playtest!
Tennis experience/background: Former Community College player but struggling to play as often now that I have kids lol. 4.0.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Agressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Yonex Vcore 98 tour with tour bite 17g at 48
How many hours did you play with the racquet? About 20 hrs mainly on ball machine and some tie breakers with teammates.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
Groundstrokes with this racket was easy to me on both the fh and bh side. It felt like a more powerful prostaff but having that classic touch and response from the baseline. I did have to adjust my backhand swing with this one a bit as even though it is a open pattern racket, I wasnt getting the launch angle like I would with my vcore tour. I felt that when flattening out my shots the racket shines the most, but in terms of using spin, I found myself having to really get under the ball and work a bit to generate spin.
-Serves:
Control was the name of the game for me and I found myself hitting my targets when serving. When hitting my slices and kicks, since the racket swung so quickly I felt like I was getting good action on the ball but I think I wouldve liked to add a bit more tailweight to get the racket more whippy. Overall control was really good and if I had a knock, I just didnt have enough pacing to push my opponets backs in doubles.
-Volleys:
Really point and shoot for me with volleys. I never really had too much touch for my game but pick up half volleys to regular volleys I feel like the stock racket had enough where it wasnt unstable in my hands. Just like my overall thoughts and feel of this racket, I would probably like to compare and add a leather as well as just a smidge of weight to see if this really opens up the racket since it swings quickly through the air.
-Serve returns -
Just like I mentioned in the ground strokes, was never pushed around on returns. Felt really confident when stepping in and ripping the ball as the racket speed and balance felt fine. I did find myself in some trouble when trying to loop the ball in, but just needed a short adjustment period to really dial in and focus on getting under the ball and using the rackets strength of stability and swing speed it gave me.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was about a 8 for me and control was a 9. Ive tried lynx tour in many rackets, but feel like I might have to throw on something else and even might tinker with dropping the tension a bit bc I felt like even when stringing at 48, I couldve gone lower and still maintain control while getting a bit more pocketing and power. After this initial review, I will probably try something like Head Hawk Touch and see if that will help, but overall not too bad.
Top Spin/Slice-
Top Spin for me was about a 7.5 and slice was a 9. I found more success when it came to driving through the ball than looping. It could be just me but again like I previously mentioned, the open pattern on my vcore tour shows more than the speed tour but the trade off youd get is more control. My slices felt pretty dirty as it stayed low and again with the racket swinging so quick I was able to cut and drive the ball in any direction.
Comfort-
Comfort to me was fine and comes in at a 9. I had no issues with the setup, weight, and stock balance. Even with a full poly set up there was no issue and I though I mentioned I could go lower in tension, I feel like people who use a tension thats in the mid 50's wouldnt have an issue.
Feel -
Really good feel for me, just slightly muted but nothing too crazy. I wasnt too big of the aux 2.0 speed mp that followed after my fav speed mp, but with the current speed tour it felt fine all around. I think regardless if you use a dampener or not, you can still get good feedback on the racket.
Maneuverability-
This is def a 9.5 in my books. Ive already mentioned how fast this racket swings and with the stock weight and balance it just felt good, but can be even better with a bit more tailweight to whip through the ball more. Im hoping that when adding a leather and some weight that it doesnt take away too much from the speed but I am looking forward to see if that helps me with the spin department.
Stability-
9/10. Even on some off centered hits, I felt well in control with this racket. I do think it is stable but could benefit for a bit more weight when I compare the vcore and speed tour side by side. I feel like I have more heft and plow with the vcore, but swinging fast and still staying stable on off centered hits with the speed had less fatigue on me. Overall a really good stable racket.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
When going into this play test, I was really excited to see how this would compare to the MP mold since I used the speed MP previously. While its not as free power and spin as the MP, the control and easy to swing really shined with this racket. I know I knocked the racket for not having as much spin despite having a racket that can swing so quick, but its more of a me thing since I come from a more fairly open and spin racket. I will def circle back and compare my notes once specing up the racket to my liking, but overall I feel like players that like a fast swinging racket and that can generate their own spin and power will really enjoy it.
Thank you TW and Head for the playtest!
String/Tension: Restring Zero at 50lbs
Experience: 16 years
Playing Style: Doubles, serve & volley, aggressive baseline
Current Setup: Ezone 98 2022 with Restring Zero and Sync at 50lbs
Hours Played: ~20 hours (8 sessions)
Groundstrokes:
With this racket, I had more fun playing at the baseline while being aggressive with my shots. I felt that the stiffness wasn't too bad, and I was still able to feel the ball during my shots. Surprisingly, the amount of spin I was able to add to the ball was more than I expected. One thing that I realized on my groundstrokes was that you really had to commit to the shots to get solid depth.
Serves:
I had a great time serving with this racket, especially since it offers more control than my current setup. Flat serves felt great, and I felt that I was able to control my shots a little more than usual. My kick serves with this racket felt a little better than usual, and I felt that I could definitely bite the ball more noticeably. Slice feels best with this racket, since I was able to easily add spin to the ball and still maintain a decent speed and depth on my shot.
Volleys:
Volleys felt very nice for me, with the racket being pretty easy to maneuver. The amount of depth and control with the racket on volleys was pretty impressive. The feel I could add to my volley shots wasn't as great, but the control I could get from aggressive shots made up for it. The volleys were probably the highlight for me personally.
Serve Returns:
The amount of stability and control I got from this racket was amazing, and it doesn't really surprise me. I can easily redirect first serves, especially compared to my current Ezone, and still able to be aggressive on second serves. Whether I did a full swing, block, or half-swing, each of my serve returns felt solid and had plenty of control.
Power/Control
Control was definitely the highlight of this racket, making it easy to be aggressive and really swing through the balls without hesitation. Although this racket leaned more towards control, it was not lacking in power. I think it was a solid balance for someone with my playstyle who likes to be a tad more aggressive.
Topspin/Slice
Before trying the racket, I wasn't expecting much spin potential. However, after playing with it for a while, I was still able to get a bite on the ball and easily add spin on my shots. Slice was the one shot that I was pleasantly surprised by, since I was able to drive through my slices and maintain enough spin and depth.
Comfort
Comfort is an aspect that matters a lot to me, since some rackets sacrifice feel to dampen vibrations. However, I felt this racket was noticeably more comfortable than older versions and didn't lose any of its feel.
Feel
The amount of feel I got on my groundstrokes was more than I expected and surprised me. Even with the plush feel of the shots, I felt confident enough to control the ball. Even hitting a bit off-center wasn't as punishing.
Maneuverability
Despite the heavier weight, I think the maneuverability of the racket surprised me at the net. I was able to easily reach the balls with enough stability on my shots. I would also note that it felt great for serve returns and even approach shots towards the net.
Stability
Stability was my favorite thing about this racket. I was able to easily redirect heavy shots at the baseline and at the net. After playing with it for a while, I added a bit of lead tape to the head to improve stability — about an inch at the 3 and 6 o'clock positions.
Experience: 16 years
Playing Style: Doubles, serve & volley, aggressive baseline
Current Setup: Ezone 98 2022 with Restring Zero and Sync at 50lbs
Hours Played: ~20 hours (8 sessions)
Groundstrokes:
With this racket, I had more fun playing at the baseline while being aggressive with my shots. I felt that the stiffness wasn't too bad, and I was still able to feel the ball during my shots. Surprisingly, the amount of spin I was able to add to the ball was more than I expected. One thing that I realized on my groundstrokes was that you really had to commit to the shots to get solid depth.
Serves:
I had a great time serving with this racket, especially since it offers more control than my current setup. Flat serves felt great, and I felt that I was able to control my shots a little more than usual. My kick serves with this racket felt a little better than usual, and I felt that I could definitely bite the ball more noticeably. Slice feels best with this racket, since I was able to easily add spin to the ball and still maintain a decent speed and depth on my shot.
Volleys:
Volleys felt very nice for me, with the racket being pretty easy to maneuver. The amount of depth and control with the racket on volleys was pretty impressive. The feel I could add to my volley shots wasn't as great, but the control I could get from aggressive shots made up for it. The volleys were probably the highlight for me personally.
Serve Returns:
The amount of stability and control I got from this racket was amazing, and it doesn't really surprise me. I can easily redirect first serves, especially compared to my current Ezone, and still able to be aggressive on second serves. Whether I did a full swing, block, or half-swing, each of my serve returns felt solid and had plenty of control.
Power/Control
Control was definitely the highlight of this racket, making it easy to be aggressive and really swing through the balls without hesitation. Although this racket leaned more towards control, it was not lacking in power. I think it was a solid balance for someone with my playstyle who likes to be a tad more aggressive.
Topspin/Slice
Before trying the racket, I wasn't expecting much spin potential. However, after playing with it for a while, I was still able to get a bite on the ball and easily add spin on my shots. Slice was the one shot that I was pleasantly surprised by, since I was able to drive through my slices and maintain enough spin and depth.
Comfort
Comfort is an aspect that matters a lot to me, since some rackets sacrifice feel to dampen vibrations. However, I felt this racket was noticeably more comfortable than older versions and didn't lose any of its feel.
Feel
The amount of feel I got on my groundstrokes was more than I expected and surprised me. Even with the plush feel of the shots, I felt confident enough to control the ball. Even hitting a bit off-center wasn't as punishing.
Maneuverability
Despite the heavier weight, I think the maneuverability of the racket surprised me at the net. I was able to easily reach the balls with enough stability on my shots. I would also note that it felt great for serve returns and even approach shots towards the net.
Stability
Stability was my favorite thing about this racket. I was able to easily redirect heavy shots at the baseline and at the net. After playing with it for a while, I added a bit of lead tape to the head to improve stability — about an inch at the 3 and 6 o'clock positions.
General Reaction / Overall Comments
This racket exceeded my initial expectations, and I am seriously considering switching from my usual setup to the Head Speed Tour. I may mess around with the tension and lead tape a little more to see if there's anything I can do to improve my experience, but so far, there haven't been any negatives with this racket.
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
Speed Tour -- Playtest Review by @TwinCinema
String and tension used for test: Tecnifibre Razor Code 1.20 (white) @ 47 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: Club/rec player. Messed around with an old hand-me-down-from-my-dad Prince Ace Prophecy in high school, focused solely on track in college (hurdles for U. of Georgia), then found tennis again in adulthood when I realized I couldn't go to a park and run hurdles for fun. Mainly play singles with friends, drill clinics with coaches, and doubles liveball. Tore my labrum and rotator cuff a few years ago, so my serve and overheads still aren't 100%, but PT has helped me to get back to playing close to decent level.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Defensive baseliner, counterpunching, and taking advantage of my 6'3" height and lefty forehand to create sharp angles and selectively attack when I'm lucky enough to get a neutral or short ball. Flat 2HBH, topspin forehand, and I love a good lob when my opponent charges the net.
Current racquet/string setups: Some friends here in the L.A. tennis community call me "The 97 guy." This is because I primarily played with the Pure Strike VS for a year and a half, while also sidebaring with the ProStaff 97 v14 and Percept 97. You wouldn't think I'm good enough for a 97 (because I'm not), but I have more fun with smaller heads and for some reason the PSVS will always feel like home. Now my main is the T-Fight 305S (with the '22 EZone 98 as backup), so I'm Mr. 98 now, but I'll always be "The 97 guy" at heart, which is why this was a good playtest for me. (For strings, I'm almost exclusively using Razor Code white 1.20).
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 12-13. I'd say the last 5 hours were better than the first 7, because my strings were losing tension and I was able to get more depth. Would probably string this lower next time. 47 is already low for some people, but 46/44 might be better. I've read some people stringing this at mid-50s and I respectfully think those people are maniacs.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: They say in relationships that the best way to defuse an argument is to ask yourself "would you rather be right, or be happy?" Similarly, sometimes a tennis racket asks you if you'd rather win points, or have fun hitting. We are all looking for the stick that can do both, but my experience with the Speed line in the past (I used to own a 2022 Speed Pro, and in my beginner days started with a Graphene Touch Speed S) is that it is extremely good at playing every type of stroke, with no weaknesses, and is no fun at all to play with. You wanna get the ball in the lines? Use a Speed. You wanna dazzle the fans? Use anything but a Speed. So the good news with the Speed Tour is that thanks in large part to its smaller head size, this might be the first "fun" Speed ever. Forehands are whippy as hell -- you can come through very fast and build up major racket-head speed. You can change your swing path if the ball takes a weird hop and re-direct at will. Backhands are similarly zippy. Plant, take back, come around quick and finish over the shoulder in less than a second. Specs on my racket are 325g strung, 325 SW. But it plays as fast as my EZ98 which is a 317 SW.
-Serves: Caveat as mentioned above that my shoulder injury prevents me from serving out at max power, but I did get a chance to serve several times with this racket, and I was pleasantly surprised. This isn't a power racket, but that doesn't mean serves are bad -- in fact I was actually able to hit targets better with this than with the 305S. With a good/low toss, and a good load in the legs, you can make a big connection and crack some nice first serves. I don't hit with a ton of slice or kick, so I can't say spin on serves can get wild, but for flat and direct serves, I was able to get decent pace and fantastic placement in the box.
-Volleys: Very nice. Not quite as finessed as the PSVS (which corners the market on filthy drop-volleys and put-away winners at the net), but because the stick is so maneuverable you can always get there in time and at least block it back, if not go for a sharp angle to end things. One small weakness for me was stability -- against very hard hitters trying to pass me with pace, I found the racket spinning in my hand when trying to volley those shots. I played the Speed Tour stock, but will want to try weight in the hoop to fix stability and add power.
-Serve returns: Not the best! Because of the lack of innate power in the frame, you can't block back tough first serves with enough juice to start a rally. You need to really prepare early and swing out on returns, which is tough to do when your opponent is nailing 'em Ben Shelton style. But against weaker second serves, I had enough time to turn my return into an attack.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- No waffling here. This a control racket, full stop. It doesn't have much native power, clearly less than the PSVS and the ProStaff. I'd say it's close to the Percept 97 but still even less power than that frame. It's soft and flexy, but makes up for it with a thick beam, so it isn't a noodle -- but it's built for control. You need to generate your own power, but thanks to the quick and whippy aerodynamics of it, you can generate so much racket head speed that swinging out of your shoes will be fast enough to hit a powerful shot. The question is: do you want to have to swing that fast every time? If you do, this is the stick for you. If you aren't good enough to have consistent enough timing to get a fast, heavy swing with every shot, then this frame will not help you. That said, put a penny on the opponent's baseline, and if you aim for Lincoln's chin, you'll land on the beard.
Top Spin/Slice- Spin is average. I got more spin from the PSVS and the ProStaff, and even from the dense 16x19 of the EZ98. But because you can swing this so quickly, it's easy to just exaggerate the topspin forehand low-to-high path and get some decent spin. Don't use this racket if you want Casper Ruud RPMs, but it isn't a flat Prestige 18x20 thing either. Slices were pretty good; once I got the timing down (took a few sessions), the slice became a weapon.
Comfort- Good! Soft, flexy, never feels stiff anywhere on the stringbed even with a medium-firm poly, and I got zero elbow or (added) shoulder issues after playing with it. I did notice some wrist tenderness, but I chalk that up to this being an L3 (where I normally play with L4+OG) and having to grip a little tighter.
Feel- Not so good, maybe one of the biggest drawbacks. Feel is probably Head's worst issue these days (outside the Gravity), what with the muted, bland emptiness of the Extreme and Boom lines. This is wild, since the 2014 Graphene Prestige Pro is my favorite-feeling racket of all time. But modern-day Heads don't give you much feedback. This one I'd say is still better than the Aux 1 Radicals and Aux 2 Extremes, which are extraordinarily muted, but I did not like the sensation of striking the ball -- I wish they had a layup more similar to the new Gravity Tour 98.
Maneuverability- Aces. Magnificent. Never once found myself struggling with getting the stick in position, with putting the head where I wanted it, or with coming around on follow-through. Makes volleys and serves easier... though as I say that, I'm starting to think this stick is better for serve-and-volley players than baseliners who want power and spin.
Stability- Not terrible, but as mentioned before I did notice some flutter in the hand against heavier balls. It has plow-through -- that is, when you take a full cut against a heavy shot you'll win the collision and generate a consistent groundstroke. But blocking returns or volleys might suffer unless you add hoop weight, which is next on my list.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I think I know who this racket is for. A strong 4.5+ player who can serve-and-volley, generate their own power with massive racket-head-speed, and wants elite control. The sweet spot is decent for a 97, though I personally shanked more shots than I wanted to (reminded me of why I ultimately moved on from the PSVS), and the all-court reliability of this is terrific. I would merely warn those at the 4.0 or lower level that if they want some free power from their frame, or a little help in terms of spin and plow in the way a T-Fight, EZone, or Pure Aero will offer, then this might be a little too niche a racket. Right now I'm enjoying the extra pop and pizzazz I get from the 305S and EZ98, so I believe I will stick with those for now. But if I were playing with a Blade 98 and wanted some more whip and a little more fun, but keeping the solid control, then I would definitely find my eyes wandering to the Oreo cookie at the end of the rack.
String and tension used for test: Tecnifibre Razor Code 1.20 (white) @ 47 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: Club/rec player. Messed around with an old hand-me-down-from-my-dad Prince Ace Prophecy in high school, focused solely on track in college (hurdles for U. of Georgia), then found tennis again in adulthood when I realized I couldn't go to a park and run hurdles for fun. Mainly play singles with friends, drill clinics with coaches, and doubles liveball. Tore my labrum and rotator cuff a few years ago, so my serve and overheads still aren't 100%, but PT has helped me to get back to playing close to decent level.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Defensive baseliner, counterpunching, and taking advantage of my 6'3" height and lefty forehand to create sharp angles and selectively attack when I'm lucky enough to get a neutral or short ball. Flat 2HBH, topspin forehand, and I love a good lob when my opponent charges the net.
Current racquet/string setups: Some friends here in the L.A. tennis community call me "The 97 guy." This is because I primarily played with the Pure Strike VS for a year and a half, while also sidebaring with the ProStaff 97 v14 and Percept 97. You wouldn't think I'm good enough for a 97 (because I'm not), but I have more fun with smaller heads and for some reason the PSVS will always feel like home. Now my main is the T-Fight 305S (with the '22 EZone 98 as backup), so I'm Mr. 98 now, but I'll always be "The 97 guy" at heart, which is why this was a good playtest for me. (For strings, I'm almost exclusively using Razor Code white 1.20).
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 12-13. I'd say the last 5 hours were better than the first 7, because my strings were losing tension and I was able to get more depth. Would probably string this lower next time. 47 is already low for some people, but 46/44 might be better. I've read some people stringing this at mid-50s and I respectfully think those people are maniacs.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: They say in relationships that the best way to defuse an argument is to ask yourself "would you rather be right, or be happy?" Similarly, sometimes a tennis racket asks you if you'd rather win points, or have fun hitting. We are all looking for the stick that can do both, but my experience with the Speed line in the past (I used to own a 2022 Speed Pro, and in my beginner days started with a Graphene Touch Speed S) is that it is extremely good at playing every type of stroke, with no weaknesses, and is no fun at all to play with. You wanna get the ball in the lines? Use a Speed. You wanna dazzle the fans? Use anything but a Speed. So the good news with the Speed Tour is that thanks in large part to its smaller head size, this might be the first "fun" Speed ever. Forehands are whippy as hell -- you can come through very fast and build up major racket-head speed. You can change your swing path if the ball takes a weird hop and re-direct at will. Backhands are similarly zippy. Plant, take back, come around quick and finish over the shoulder in less than a second. Specs on my racket are 325g strung, 325 SW. But it plays as fast as my EZ98 which is a 317 SW.
-Serves: Caveat as mentioned above that my shoulder injury prevents me from serving out at max power, but I did get a chance to serve several times with this racket, and I was pleasantly surprised. This isn't a power racket, but that doesn't mean serves are bad -- in fact I was actually able to hit targets better with this than with the 305S. With a good/low toss, and a good load in the legs, you can make a big connection and crack some nice first serves. I don't hit with a ton of slice or kick, so I can't say spin on serves can get wild, but for flat and direct serves, I was able to get decent pace and fantastic placement in the box.
-Volleys: Very nice. Not quite as finessed as the PSVS (which corners the market on filthy drop-volleys and put-away winners at the net), but because the stick is so maneuverable you can always get there in time and at least block it back, if not go for a sharp angle to end things. One small weakness for me was stability -- against very hard hitters trying to pass me with pace, I found the racket spinning in my hand when trying to volley those shots. I played the Speed Tour stock, but will want to try weight in the hoop to fix stability and add power.
-Serve returns: Not the best! Because of the lack of innate power in the frame, you can't block back tough first serves with enough juice to start a rally. You need to really prepare early and swing out on returns, which is tough to do when your opponent is nailing 'em Ben Shelton style. But against weaker second serves, I had enough time to turn my return into an attack.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- No waffling here. This a control racket, full stop. It doesn't have much native power, clearly less than the PSVS and the ProStaff. I'd say it's close to the Percept 97 but still even less power than that frame. It's soft and flexy, but makes up for it with a thick beam, so it isn't a noodle -- but it's built for control. You need to generate your own power, but thanks to the quick and whippy aerodynamics of it, you can generate so much racket head speed that swinging out of your shoes will be fast enough to hit a powerful shot. The question is: do you want to have to swing that fast every time? If you do, this is the stick for you. If you aren't good enough to have consistent enough timing to get a fast, heavy swing with every shot, then this frame will not help you. That said, put a penny on the opponent's baseline, and if you aim for Lincoln's chin, you'll land on the beard.
Top Spin/Slice- Spin is average. I got more spin from the PSVS and the ProStaff, and even from the dense 16x19 of the EZ98. But because you can swing this so quickly, it's easy to just exaggerate the topspin forehand low-to-high path and get some decent spin. Don't use this racket if you want Casper Ruud RPMs, but it isn't a flat Prestige 18x20 thing either. Slices were pretty good; once I got the timing down (took a few sessions), the slice became a weapon.
Comfort- Good! Soft, flexy, never feels stiff anywhere on the stringbed even with a medium-firm poly, and I got zero elbow or (added) shoulder issues after playing with it. I did notice some wrist tenderness, but I chalk that up to this being an L3 (where I normally play with L4+OG) and having to grip a little tighter.
Feel- Not so good, maybe one of the biggest drawbacks. Feel is probably Head's worst issue these days (outside the Gravity), what with the muted, bland emptiness of the Extreme and Boom lines. This is wild, since the 2014 Graphene Prestige Pro is my favorite-feeling racket of all time. But modern-day Heads don't give you much feedback. This one I'd say is still better than the Aux 1 Radicals and Aux 2 Extremes, which are extraordinarily muted, but I did not like the sensation of striking the ball -- I wish they had a layup more similar to the new Gravity Tour 98.
Maneuverability- Aces. Magnificent. Never once found myself struggling with getting the stick in position, with putting the head where I wanted it, or with coming around on follow-through. Makes volleys and serves easier... though as I say that, I'm starting to think this stick is better for serve-and-volley players than baseliners who want power and spin.
Stability- Not terrible, but as mentioned before I did notice some flutter in the hand against heavier balls. It has plow-through -- that is, when you take a full cut against a heavy shot you'll win the collision and generate a consistent groundstroke. But blocking returns or volleys might suffer unless you add hoop weight, which is next on my list.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I think I know who this racket is for. A strong 4.5+ player who can serve-and-volley, generate their own power with massive racket-head-speed, and wants elite control. The sweet spot is decent for a 97, though I personally shanked more shots than I wanted to (reminded me of why I ultimately moved on from the PSVS), and the all-court reliability of this is terrific. I would merely warn those at the 4.0 or lower level that if they want some free power from their frame, or a little help in terms of spin and plow in the way a T-Fight, EZone, or Pure Aero will offer, then this might be a little too niche a racket. Right now I'm enjoying the extra pop and pizzazz I get from the 305S and EZ98, so I believe I will stick with those for now. But if I were playing with a Blade 98 and wanted some more whip and a little more fun, but keeping the solid control, then I would definitely find my eyes wandering to the Oreo cookie at the end of the rack.
I played with GT98 for 5 months and now 2 months with Speed Tour and my experience echos this!
Jwdalton0713
Rookie
String Setup Used for Test:
Stroke-by-Stroke Performance
Groundstrokes
From the baseline, the Head Speed Tour provides a precise, predictable response that favors aggressive players and is excellent for one-handers. The integration of HyBore and Auxetic technology helps enhance energy return and responsiveness, giving the racquet a more solid feel on all shots while maintaining excellent control. The launch angle is lower than the Speed MP, making it easier to keep flatter shots inside the court, even on full swings. Overall, it delivers a mature, controlled hitting experience ideal for players who prioritize placement and connection to the ball.
Serves
Serving is one of this racquet’s standout strengths. The Tour accelerates quickly thanks to its head‑light balance, yet the added firmness gives it noticeable pop on flat serves. Slice and kick serves benefit from the racquet’s stability and consistent stringbed behavior, making placement and variety easy to execute. Compared to the Speed MP, I found it easier to aim down-the‑T or go for wide angles with confidence. Players who rely on serve accuracy and tactical serving will appreciate this racquet’s serving performance.
Volleys
At net, the Speed Tour feels crisp, stable, and extremely reliable. The racquet’s maneuverability allows for quick reaction volleys, while the HyBore technology provides a firmer, more connected feel without discomfort. Touch and drop volleys benefit from excellent feedback—it's very clear where the ball is on the string bed. Compared to the MP, the Tour gives a slightly more surgical response, which can elevate consistency for players who like to finish points at the net. This is a highly effective volleying frame, particularly in doubles.
Serve Returns
On returns, the racquet shines thanks to its stability and predictable control. Compact swings generate efficient depth, and the Tour handles pace exceptionally well without twisting. Though less forgiving than the Speed MP, the Tour is much more maneuverable, and you won't notice a huge drop in power.
Performance Attributes
Power / Control
The Speed Tour leans toward high-level control, with power available for players who generate racquet head speed. This give you a more controlled power profile rather than raw free pop. Compared to the MP this racket feels more mature and precise, inspiring more confidence to stay in rallies and dictate play.
Topspin / Slice
Topspin is easy to produce but stays more linear and penetrating rather than loopy. Slice is exceptional—stable, consistent, and stays low through the court. That said, this racket is very string sensitive. It might take a couple of tries to find the right string and tension to match your game style.
Comfort
Despite its firmer feel, the racquet remains comfortable. Off‑center hits do deliver more feedback than the MP, but not to the point of harshness. It is also slightly heavier than my MP, so I did not feel the need to add any lead tape. This is the best racket I've ever used in stock form.
Feel
Feel is crisp, connected, and confidence‑boosting. HyBore and Auxetic technologies combine to deliver a stable but lively response that gives precise sensory feedback through the handle. It is much less muted than my Speed MP and other rackets I've used, such as the Yonex Ezone. In the future, I may even add a leather grip to enhance the feel even more.
Maneuverability
Very maneuverable, especially at net and on one‑handed backhands. The balance point allows for fast acceleration without sacrificing racquet head stability. I never thought a constant beam 97 would feel so right, but it absolutely works, and it will be challenging to play with anything else moving forward. You feel like you're playing with the grace of an RF97 but with the power of a Pure Drive.
Stability
One of the racquet’s standout traits. The Speed Tour holds up extremely well against big hitters, and HyBore reinforcement helps maintain frame structure on heavy impacts without flutter. The constant beam gives you so much connection and raw feedback. Compared to the MP the racket is slightly less forgiving, but it is also much more stable, allowing you to still handle off-center shots.
Overall
This has been the best racket I have ever used. I was a little nervous I would play worse, going from a 100 square inch Speed MP to this 97 square inch frame, but the engineers at Head have absolutely worked magic on this one. You don’t even notice the smaller head size, and the power level isn’t drastically different. That said, you gain a lot of maneuverability, feel, and control over the MP. I would recommend this racket to anyone with a higher swing speed looking to get the most out of Head's most versatile racket line.
- Toroline O‑Toro (Mains @ 53 lbs)
- Toroline Wasabi X (Crosses @ 51 lbs)
- USTA Adult Player
- Playing Style: Strong serve‑and‑volley doubles game
- Current Racquet: Head Speed MP
- Total Hours Played With Racquet: 36 hours
Groundstrokes
From the baseline, the Head Speed Tour provides a precise, predictable response that favors aggressive players and is excellent for one-handers. The integration of HyBore and Auxetic technology helps enhance energy return and responsiveness, giving the racquet a more solid feel on all shots while maintaining excellent control. The launch angle is lower than the Speed MP, making it easier to keep flatter shots inside the court, even on full swings. Overall, it delivers a mature, controlled hitting experience ideal for players who prioritize placement and connection to the ball.
Serves
Serving is one of this racquet’s standout strengths. The Tour accelerates quickly thanks to its head‑light balance, yet the added firmness gives it noticeable pop on flat serves. Slice and kick serves benefit from the racquet’s stability and consistent stringbed behavior, making placement and variety easy to execute. Compared to the Speed MP, I found it easier to aim down-the‑T or go for wide angles with confidence. Players who rely on serve accuracy and tactical serving will appreciate this racquet’s serving performance.
Volleys
At net, the Speed Tour feels crisp, stable, and extremely reliable. The racquet’s maneuverability allows for quick reaction volleys, while the HyBore technology provides a firmer, more connected feel without discomfort. Touch and drop volleys benefit from excellent feedback—it's very clear where the ball is on the string bed. Compared to the MP, the Tour gives a slightly more surgical response, which can elevate consistency for players who like to finish points at the net. This is a highly effective volleying frame, particularly in doubles.
Serve Returns
On returns, the racquet shines thanks to its stability and predictable control. Compact swings generate efficient depth, and the Tour handles pace exceptionally well without twisting. Though less forgiving than the Speed MP, the Tour is much more maneuverable, and you won't notice a huge drop in power.
Power / Control
The Speed Tour leans toward high-level control, with power available for players who generate racquet head speed. This give you a more controlled power profile rather than raw free pop. Compared to the MP this racket feels more mature and precise, inspiring more confidence to stay in rallies and dictate play.
Topspin / Slice
Topspin is easy to produce but stays more linear and penetrating rather than loopy. Slice is exceptional—stable, consistent, and stays low through the court. That said, this racket is very string sensitive. It might take a couple of tries to find the right string and tension to match your game style.
Comfort
Despite its firmer feel, the racquet remains comfortable. Off‑center hits do deliver more feedback than the MP, but not to the point of harshness. It is also slightly heavier than my MP, so I did not feel the need to add any lead tape. This is the best racket I've ever used in stock form.
Feel
Feel is crisp, connected, and confidence‑boosting. HyBore and Auxetic technologies combine to deliver a stable but lively response that gives precise sensory feedback through the handle. It is much less muted than my Speed MP and other rackets I've used, such as the Yonex Ezone. In the future, I may even add a leather grip to enhance the feel even more.
Maneuverability
Very maneuverable, especially at net and on one‑handed backhands. The balance point allows for fast acceleration without sacrificing racquet head stability. I never thought a constant beam 97 would feel so right, but it absolutely works, and it will be challenging to play with anything else moving forward. You feel like you're playing with the grace of an RF97 but with the power of a Pure Drive.
Stability
One of the racquet’s standout traits. The Speed Tour holds up extremely well against big hitters, and HyBore reinforcement helps maintain frame structure on heavy impacts without flutter. The constant beam gives you so much connection and raw feedback. Compared to the MP the racket is slightly less forgiving, but it is also much more stable, allowing you to still handle off-center shots.
Overall
This has been the best racket I have ever used. I was a little nervous I would play worse, going from a 100 square inch Speed MP to this 97 square inch frame, but the engineers at Head have absolutely worked magic on this one. You don’t even notice the smaller head size, and the power level isn’t drastically different. That said, you gain a lot of maneuverability, feel, and control over the MP. I would recommend this racket to anyone with a higher swing speed looking to get the most out of Head's most versatile racket line.
Federerkblade
Hall of Fame
Great review for me it’s a mini or a lesser version of a Novak actual frame
AgressiveBaseliner89
Rookie
Great review! I was planning to write my own on Sunday, and even though I have less court time with it than you, I had almost the exact same thoughts and style in mind. You basically took the words right out of my mouth, now I don’t even know what’s left for me to write lol!
Jingo
Rookie
Before I forget, here's my formal and official TT racket review. I'll probably keep chiming in with comments/responses to questions people have but I figured I'd do this since I have more than enough data to publish this.
Head Speed Tour 2026 Review
- String and tension used for test:
Lynx Tour 49/48 (have also played with Lynx Touch in another demo, at some indeterminate higher tension)
- Tennis experience/background:
~USTA 4.5 (singles)-5.0 (dubs) player, been playing my whole life (just club teams in college), playing leagues and tourneys when I can and otherwise just annihilating balls in rallies with similar players
- Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Super aggressive baseliner who feels more at home the closer to the net I am. Big server (and big misser)
- Current Racket:
Head Speed Tour (I switched!) but previously and most recently (I have a problem), NordicDots 98 Pro, Pure Drive 98, TF 40, Radical MP, Blade Pro, Percept 97D (and so on)
- Current Strings:
Tension usually in the high 40s; Lynx Tour if I can deal with the stiffness (racket dependent); Toroline Super Toro, Grapplesnake M8
How many hours did you play with the racquet ? 40 or so, maybe 5 hours in match play
- Groundstrokes:
9/10. Stable and controlled, great on offense and solid on defense (although it sometimes revealed its 97sq in nature here). Highly dependable and trustworthy. Couldn't hit crazy spin since the launch is low but spin was still available—it was just tight and low compared to spin rackets.
- Serves:
9/10. Terrific for slices, solid on kicks and flats. Maneuverability and head speed were high so I could definitely crank it, although I would not say it was a boomstick the way the Gravity Tour/Ezone 100 are. Much better for spot serving, though. I felt like I could easily paint lines if I wanted to.
- Volleys:
8.5/10. Solid, although oddly not the strongest shot (oddly, given the 97sq in head and the maneuverability). I suspect its maneuverability paradoxically hindered it here—I didn't get the tanky crisp feel of heavier (Blade Pro) or stiffer (Pure Drive) sticks at the net. Still, feel aside, I hit plenty of penetrating volleys as it was still quite stable and forgiving.
- Serve returns:
?/10. It's a me problem but I never quite found the timing in my matchplay. I suspect I was just used to playing with tankier frames and failed to adjust. Given the stability on groundies (we really do knock the fuzz off the ball), I'd be amazed if I couldn't dial this part in with dedicated practice to that end. Still, the 97sq in head might hinder some in the long run. (Not scoring it yet because I genuinely think my returns have been too off lately to even consider the racket a factor.)
- Power:
5/10. Relatively low, but not at all low for what I want to do. The ball often found its way to just inside the other baseline so I didn't lack at all for court penetration. Compared to older rackets like the Radicals of yore, it's powerful, but it's not in the same league as the Pure Aero 98s and Ezones of today.
- Control:
9.5/10. Point-and-shoot. It's one of those rackets I would be stupid to blame for anything I miss. Only knock is that the relative lack of spin and low launch can sometimes make the margins kind of small. It requires pretty high level play to really sing.
- Topspin:
7.5/10. It's not that it can't generate spin—it's just that the launch angle and narrow pattern make it something you have to intentionally form through your strokes. It moves fast enough to generate lots of rotations if you're willing to work for them.
- Slice:
8.5/10. I'm not the sliciest player, but I found standard slices solid and no-nonsense. Defensive slices were really standout, however. It's light and stable so I found desperate reaching stabs created some TennisTV highlights.
- Comfort:
10/10. I have some serious and lingering elbow issues (mostly golfer's) and it was a dream the whole time, despite the fact that I put Lynx Tour in it—which has torn me up in the past. This was an obvious selling point for me and the reason I was confident enough to switch without much hesitation. It's not literally the most comfortable thing out there (like ProKennex or the Clash), but it's the most comfortable modern player's stick (that isn't the Gravity Tour, which has its moments but doesn't do it for control for me).
- Feel:
9/10. It's good for a modern racket. If I were comparing it to the frames of yesterday, I'd have to give this is lower score but I'm comparing it to the rackets of today. The dampening tech is there and obvious and it clearly did some muting, but if I swung really hard I could break through all that fake pillow and feel the graphite just fine. Good, raw strings also helped. Clearly an improvement from the Auxetic 1 and 2 tech. Most importantly, I could feel when I was off-center—just not in that jarring way that some people crave.
- Maneuverability:
10/10. I'm not sure why it felt so maneuverable but it does. I've tried 3 so far and they all had different specs (the one I'm demoed here is 2g under spec at 303g) but even the chonkiest one has felt nimble.
- Stability:
9.5/10. It was not as stable as a heavier racket would have been but when you consider its weight and maneuverability, this is one of those 11/10 situations. Kind of a miracle they can make a 97 that is so easy to use. Again, the people I play with and myself were whacking the ball like it owed us money (and the Penn balls did owe us money).
- General reaction/comments on overall performance:
It's a 10/10 for me. This comes from the two things that I care about over everything else: Comfort and connectedness. As we all know, the best racket is the one that disappears. I haven't really had to think about it at all these past week, beyond gathering these impressions for the review. But I'm perfectly happy with mine... except for one minor nitpick that applies to just about every racket manufactured today: QA is still imperfect enough that I've hit with 3 of them and had 3 similar but distinct experiences, despite having the same strings in two of them. The static weight of all 3 were within 2.5 grams of each other (good), but I can still tell that weight distribution as well as swingweight is different between them. I now own 2 and it falls on me to try to get them to match each other. I like them both in their own way but they're not the same. I need a few minutes to adjust to their weight differences.
Anyway, still a 10/10 in terms of the racket performance for me. A great launch from Head, which I hope will be rewarded by some degree of commercial success/pros picking it up (as it has all the qualities a modern pro player should need, without any additional customization required).
(Just be aware that, as is so often the case, buying multiples might entail using matching services or taking matters into your own hands, as I will be doing.)
Finally, I've said this elsewhere but it bears repeating: If you want to get a sense for whether you would like the Speed Tour, try the Radical MP. If you like that, then congratulations: you like the Speed Tour. If you hate the Radical MP, well... I think you see where this is going. To me, the Speed Tour just feels like a natural evolution of the Radical MP to the modern game. It's as simple as that.
Head Speed Tour 2026 Review
- String and tension used for test:
Lynx Tour 49/48 (have also played with Lynx Touch in another demo, at some indeterminate higher tension)
- Tennis experience/background:
~USTA 4.5 (singles)-5.0 (dubs) player, been playing my whole life (just club teams in college), playing leagues and tourneys when I can and otherwise just annihilating balls in rallies with similar players
- Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Super aggressive baseliner who feels more at home the closer to the net I am. Big server (and big misser)
- Current Racket:
Head Speed Tour (I switched!) but previously and most recently (I have a problem), NordicDots 98 Pro, Pure Drive 98, TF 40, Radical MP, Blade Pro, Percept 97D (and so on)
- Current Strings:
Tension usually in the high 40s; Lynx Tour if I can deal with the stiffness (racket dependent); Toroline Super Toro, Grapplesnake M8
How many hours did you play with the racquet ? 40 or so, maybe 5 hours in match play
- Groundstrokes:
9/10. Stable and controlled, great on offense and solid on defense (although it sometimes revealed its 97sq in nature here). Highly dependable and trustworthy. Couldn't hit crazy spin since the launch is low but spin was still available—it was just tight and low compared to spin rackets.
- Serves:
9/10. Terrific for slices, solid on kicks and flats. Maneuverability and head speed were high so I could definitely crank it, although I would not say it was a boomstick the way the Gravity Tour/Ezone 100 are. Much better for spot serving, though. I felt like I could easily paint lines if I wanted to.
- Volleys:
8.5/10. Solid, although oddly not the strongest shot (oddly, given the 97sq in head and the maneuverability). I suspect its maneuverability paradoxically hindered it here—I didn't get the tanky crisp feel of heavier (Blade Pro) or stiffer (Pure Drive) sticks at the net. Still, feel aside, I hit plenty of penetrating volleys as it was still quite stable and forgiving.
- Serve returns:
?/10. It's a me problem but I never quite found the timing in my matchplay. I suspect I was just used to playing with tankier frames and failed to adjust. Given the stability on groundies (we really do knock the fuzz off the ball), I'd be amazed if I couldn't dial this part in with dedicated practice to that end. Still, the 97sq in head might hinder some in the long run. (Not scoring it yet because I genuinely think my returns have been too off lately to even consider the racket a factor.)
- Power:
5/10. Relatively low, but not at all low for what I want to do. The ball often found its way to just inside the other baseline so I didn't lack at all for court penetration. Compared to older rackets like the Radicals of yore, it's powerful, but it's not in the same league as the Pure Aero 98s and Ezones of today.
- Control:
9.5/10. Point-and-shoot. It's one of those rackets I would be stupid to blame for anything I miss. Only knock is that the relative lack of spin and low launch can sometimes make the margins kind of small. It requires pretty high level play to really sing.
- Topspin:
7.5/10. It's not that it can't generate spin—it's just that the launch angle and narrow pattern make it something you have to intentionally form through your strokes. It moves fast enough to generate lots of rotations if you're willing to work for them.
- Slice:
8.5/10. I'm not the sliciest player, but I found standard slices solid and no-nonsense. Defensive slices were really standout, however. It's light and stable so I found desperate reaching stabs created some TennisTV highlights.
- Comfort:
10/10. I have some serious and lingering elbow issues (mostly golfer's) and it was a dream the whole time, despite the fact that I put Lynx Tour in it—which has torn me up in the past. This was an obvious selling point for me and the reason I was confident enough to switch without much hesitation. It's not literally the most comfortable thing out there (like ProKennex or the Clash), but it's the most comfortable modern player's stick (that isn't the Gravity Tour, which has its moments but doesn't do it for control for me).
- Feel:
9/10. It's good for a modern racket. If I were comparing it to the frames of yesterday, I'd have to give this is lower score but I'm comparing it to the rackets of today. The dampening tech is there and obvious and it clearly did some muting, but if I swung really hard I could break through all that fake pillow and feel the graphite just fine. Good, raw strings also helped. Clearly an improvement from the Auxetic 1 and 2 tech. Most importantly, I could feel when I was off-center—just not in that jarring way that some people crave.
- Maneuverability:
10/10. I'm not sure why it felt so maneuverable but it does. I've tried 3 so far and they all had different specs (the one I'm demoed here is 2g under spec at 303g) but even the chonkiest one has felt nimble.
- Stability:
9.5/10. It was not as stable as a heavier racket would have been but when you consider its weight and maneuverability, this is one of those 11/10 situations. Kind of a miracle they can make a 97 that is so easy to use. Again, the people I play with and myself were whacking the ball like it owed us money (and the Penn balls did owe us money).
- General reaction/comments on overall performance:
It's a 10/10 for me. This comes from the two things that I care about over everything else: Comfort and connectedness. As we all know, the best racket is the one that disappears. I haven't really had to think about it at all these past week, beyond gathering these impressions for the review. But I'm perfectly happy with mine... except for one minor nitpick that applies to just about every racket manufactured today: QA is still imperfect enough that I've hit with 3 of them and had 3 similar but distinct experiences, despite having the same strings in two of them. The static weight of all 3 were within 2.5 grams of each other (good), but I can still tell that weight distribution as well as swingweight is different between them. I now own 2 and it falls on me to try to get them to match each other. I like them both in their own way but they're not the same. I need a few minutes to adjust to their weight differences.
Anyway, still a 10/10 in terms of the racket performance for me. A great launch from Head, which I hope will be rewarded by some degree of commercial success/pros picking it up (as it has all the qualities a modern pro player should need, without any additional customization required).
(Just be aware that, as is so often the case, buying multiples might entail using matching services or taking matters into your own hands, as I will be doing.)
Finally, I've said this elsewhere but it bears repeating: If you want to get a sense for whether you would like the Speed Tour, try the Radical MP. If you like that, then congratulations: you like the Speed Tour. If you hate the Radical MP, well... I think you see where this is going. To me, the Speed Tour just feels like a natural evolution of the Radical MP to the modern game. It's as simple as that.
AgressiveBaseliner89
Rookie
Impressive review! Do you think this racquet is suitable for an ambitious 3.5 NTRP player who is looking to improve and reach a higher level?
TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
I'd like to add an amendment to my review based on my latest hour of hitting now that I've added weight to the hoop. Put 4g at 12, which is what I do to my PSVS sticks. It should be a surprise to nobody that this significantly increases the power and reduces the maneuverability. Once I got the lead up there, suddenly the punch this racket had on baseline strokes was punishing. I was drilling low, flat backhands with much more depth, and driving forehands further to the baseline before they dipped in. Also, I noticed a nice increase in plow and stability. But the trade-off of course is that I couldn't quite whip it around as quickly.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that my findings are obvious, but it's still worth noting that if you're willing to sacrifice a bit in terms of whippy-ness and want extra pop, then definitely add some lead. If the thing you love most about the stick is its maneuverability and can add your own power, then leave it stock. My next task is to move some of this 4g to 3 and 9 to see if it stays as stable but gets a little easier to swing again. Maybe 2g at 12, and 1g each at 3/9 is the ticket. But overall I think I enjoy how I unlocked some power in this frame due to the most obvious of customizations.
ReopeningWed
Professional
Actually yes, I think this is a great racket for encouraging you to lock in and promote good mechanics and awareness. You're extremely rewarded for doing things right, and if your mechanics are a little off you'll feel it in the feedback without being punished. I think few rackets have a sweet spot that feels this good aside from the FT Saber.
ngoster
Semi-Pro
String and tension used for test:
Head Lynx Tour 17 (1.25)/Iso-Speed Baseline Speed 16L (1.25) hybrid at 46#/44#
Tennis experience/background:
A friend taught me to play in college back in the late 80's. From there, everything else was self-taught from mimicking pros like Sampras, Agassi, Edberg, Courier and Graf, to name a few. I hit flat from both wings with above average (at 4.0) pace and spin. Eastern to semi-western FH and OHBH favoring the slice more as a crutch but gaining more confidence to go over the top during matches. I can hit all serve types but favor kick, flat then slice. With recent shoulder issues, the action and velocity has dropped considerably.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I'm a computer rated 4.0 playing men's and mixed dubs. I love singles but am much better at doubles. I would consider myself an all-courter and like to find opportunities to finish points at the net.
Current racquet/string setups:
The recent 3 + 1 setups that I've been clocking the most time with are:
1. Stock 2021 Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16*19 with Tru Pro Durafluxx 17/Iso-Speed Baseline Spin 17 hybrid at 48#/46#
2. Modified 2021 Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16*19 (M200T) with Tru Pro Playtest Pure Rush R8ZOR 1.30 at 48#/16#
3. Stock 2022 Dunlop SX 300 Tour (300T) with Tru Pro Durafluxx 17/Iso-Speed Baseline Speed 16L hybrid at 46#
(4) Modified Wilson Ultra Pro 97 v3 16*19 (UP) with Tru Pro Tour Status 17/Tru Pro Atomos 17 hybrid 49#/17# (With issues being a rackoholic, I haven't been spending much time with this lately but included it in the playtest because, specs-wise, I thought it would feel the closest to the Speed Tour.)
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
I was able to put in approximately 20 hours for the playtest splitting 10 hours with the Speed Tour (ST) and 10 between the 4 mentioned above. This time spent included league and social matches and rallies.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This stood out to me the most about the ST. Easy power! It is super easy and forgiving to hit with. I'll repeat other reviews in that it does play larger than a 97. The sweet spot feels large and soft but not spongy or springy. The launch angle is in the medium range, which is perfect for a flat hitter like me. It is not spinny but can generate as much as you put into it. This combination allowed me to produce a variety of shots with great shape, depth, speed and control but man o man, the power! With my FH being the stronger side, it felt great...as long as I maintain a smooth swing (more on that later). During match play, I hit a few absolute rockets that passed the net person before they could even react. I was also able to pin the baseline person back with a added spin to compliment that power. The variety also allowed me to dip balls to their feet against serve and volley and 2-man up situations. Having options and being able to execute them was a beautiful thing. Compared to my other racquets, the ST felt so much more efficient. My OHBHs were on and off, but that isn't unusual for me. I'd like to place blame on the equipment but we all know that that is never the case. With that slices were ok. They weren't as penetrating or stayed low like CXs or the UP. They would pretty much have a flat, parallel to the ground flight then dip but they didn't just pop up after landing either. Lobs were on par with better feel from the softness of the string bed.
I mentioned the smooth swing earlier. This is a fast swinging racquet. Sometimes you just have to trust the equipment to do its job. Smooth is fast. I know this all comes down to technique and my technique breaks down more often than I'd like. There were times when I tried to swing faster to generate more power but this produced very inconsistent results. I'd experience a combination of fundamental issues like late prep, over-rotating my shoulder or not keeping my eyes on the ball. The general result is a lot of shanking in all different directions. I don't know how relevant this information is to this playtest other than keep it smooth and you'll be alright.
-Serves: Playing with the ST with shoulder issues has been very welcomed. With its easier power, it allowed me to take it easy and still produce balls that weren't sitters. I can still feel the weight but had no issues getting it through the zone. I'm relying entirely on a spin serve as the flat would just get teed off on. I can't really call it a kick as I can't generate snap to get it to consistently kick. Control was very good. I was able to hit my spots whether it be the BH T on the deuce side or the BH out wide on the ad side. Compared with my other racquets, the better directional control with the ST stood out.
-Volleys: Volleys were good with the ST. No complaints here but no highlights either. It's quick to transition between the FH and BH. The generous sweet spot allowed for easier controlled deep volleys and over heads. Compared with my other racquets, the CXs performed better, overall.
-Serve returns: I had some fun with the ST in this category. Again, that easy power with a sprinkle of the 97" control. Similar to groundstrokes, I was able to blister some FH returns when I got sitters. Where I struggled a little were with body serves. Again, my own technical flaw but I kept launching the returns long. I know I should just roll a topspin back but I end up block-pushing it long. On the BH wing, cross-court slices and lobs to the ad side were very good. For the most part, I was able to keep ball away from net person.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was excellent (the easiest of my racquets). Control was also very good with that 97" head. I had a lot of fun hitting FHs from the ground. As mentioned earlier, both attributes allowed for lots of shot versatility. The sweet spot felt huge.
On serve, the general feeling is the same. Placement, spin and speed were tolerable. I was just happy that the ST could produce something that wasn't going to be attacked. It definitely has more potential with a healthy shoulder.
Top Spin/Slice-
The spin potential for the ST is moderate and, honestly, what you put into it. The potential is there but the easiness of it will definitely be more than my CXs but not be like anything with a more open string pattern like my SX.
Slices weren't as penetrating or stay as low like the tighter string patterns of my CXs but they were will do that job.
Comfort-
Comfort was very good. The ST didn't feel plush but was very soft. I don't have a sensitive elbow but with my ailing shoulder, the ST did not aggravate it either. I think the combination of the soft flex and thicker beam and other techs worked cohesively well here.
Feel-
For a little guy, I have stone hands. Touch is a little touchy with me. I have more success with lobs to the baseline because of the extra margin but am 50/50 when it comes to the net. I'd say, around the net, the ST has lots of potential for others with better hands. I can say that ball feel is CXs>ST=UT>SX.
For general hitting, feedback regarding where the ball strikes the string bed is good. It's soft but not muted.
Maneuverability-
This is very good stock. I would not have any problems playing it this way. The FH side felt great but the BH side could be a little quicker. I think a leather grip or a little weight under the butt-cap will do wonders.
Stability-
I didn't experience any glaring stability issues. The ST feels solid. There was one shot that was blistered at me at net but I don't remember feeling any flutter at 3 & 9. Otherwise, in the month that I playtested this, I haven't faced anyone at the 3.5 - 4.0 level that caused me to raise concerns.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This was an extremely fun playtest! Thank you TW and Head for allowing me to participate. I will be passing the torch to a friend of mine who is looking forward to trying out the Speed Tour. He currently plays with a Blade and loves the control and feel but is looking for more pop. I think he'll love the ST. It is a fantastic all around frame that will do very well in the market.
Head Lynx Tour 17 (1.25)/Iso-Speed Baseline Speed 16L (1.25) hybrid at 46#/44#
Tennis experience/background:
A friend taught me to play in college back in the late 80's. From there, everything else was self-taught from mimicking pros like Sampras, Agassi, Edberg, Courier and Graf, to name a few. I hit flat from both wings with above average (at 4.0) pace and spin. Eastern to semi-western FH and OHBH favoring the slice more as a crutch but gaining more confidence to go over the top during matches. I can hit all serve types but favor kick, flat then slice. With recent shoulder issues, the action and velocity has dropped considerably.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I'm a computer rated 4.0 playing men's and mixed dubs. I love singles but am much better at doubles. I would consider myself an all-courter and like to find opportunities to finish points at the net.
Current racquet/string setups:
The recent 3 + 1 setups that I've been clocking the most time with are:
1. Stock 2021 Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16*19 with Tru Pro Durafluxx 17/Iso-Speed Baseline Spin 17 hybrid at 48#/46#
2. Modified 2021 Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16*19 (M200T) with Tru Pro Playtest Pure Rush R8ZOR 1.30 at 48#/16#
3. Stock 2022 Dunlop SX 300 Tour (300T) with Tru Pro Durafluxx 17/Iso-Speed Baseline Speed 16L hybrid at 46#
(4) Modified Wilson Ultra Pro 97 v3 16*19 (UP) with Tru Pro Tour Status 17/Tru Pro Atomos 17 hybrid 49#/17# (With issues being a rackoholic, I haven't been spending much time with this lately but included it in the playtest because, specs-wise, I thought it would feel the closest to the Speed Tour.)
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
I was able to put in approximately 20 hours for the playtest splitting 10 hours with the Speed Tour (ST) and 10 between the 4 mentioned above. This time spent included league and social matches and rallies.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This stood out to me the most about the ST. Easy power! It is super easy and forgiving to hit with. I'll repeat other reviews in that it does play larger than a 97. The sweet spot feels large and soft but not spongy or springy. The launch angle is in the medium range, which is perfect for a flat hitter like me. It is not spinny but can generate as much as you put into it. This combination allowed me to produce a variety of shots with great shape, depth, speed and control but man o man, the power! With my FH being the stronger side, it felt great...as long as I maintain a smooth swing (more on that later). During match play, I hit a few absolute rockets that passed the net person before they could even react. I was also able to pin the baseline person back with a added spin to compliment that power. The variety also allowed me to dip balls to their feet against serve and volley and 2-man up situations. Having options and being able to execute them was a beautiful thing. Compared to my other racquets, the ST felt so much more efficient. My OHBHs were on and off, but that isn't unusual for me. I'd like to place blame on the equipment but we all know that that is never the case. With that slices were ok. They weren't as penetrating or stayed low like CXs or the UP. They would pretty much have a flat, parallel to the ground flight then dip but they didn't just pop up after landing either. Lobs were on par with better feel from the softness of the string bed.
I mentioned the smooth swing earlier. This is a fast swinging racquet. Sometimes you just have to trust the equipment to do its job. Smooth is fast. I know this all comes down to technique and my technique breaks down more often than I'd like. There were times when I tried to swing faster to generate more power but this produced very inconsistent results. I'd experience a combination of fundamental issues like late prep, over-rotating my shoulder or not keeping my eyes on the ball. The general result is a lot of shanking in all different directions. I don't know how relevant this information is to this playtest other than keep it smooth and you'll be alright.
-Serves: Playing with the ST with shoulder issues has been very welcomed. With its easier power, it allowed me to take it easy and still produce balls that weren't sitters. I can still feel the weight but had no issues getting it through the zone. I'm relying entirely on a spin serve as the flat would just get teed off on. I can't really call it a kick as I can't generate snap to get it to consistently kick. Control was very good. I was able to hit my spots whether it be the BH T on the deuce side or the BH out wide on the ad side. Compared with my other racquets, the better directional control with the ST stood out.
-Volleys: Volleys were good with the ST. No complaints here but no highlights either. It's quick to transition between the FH and BH. The generous sweet spot allowed for easier controlled deep volleys and over heads. Compared with my other racquets, the CXs performed better, overall.
-Serve returns: I had some fun with the ST in this category. Again, that easy power with a sprinkle of the 97" control. Similar to groundstrokes, I was able to blister some FH returns when I got sitters. Where I struggled a little were with body serves. Again, my own technical flaw but I kept launching the returns long. I know I should just roll a topspin back but I end up block-pushing it long. On the BH wing, cross-court slices and lobs to the ad side were very good. For the most part, I was able to keep ball away from net person.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was excellent (the easiest of my racquets). Control was also very good with that 97" head. I had a lot of fun hitting FHs from the ground. As mentioned earlier, both attributes allowed for lots of shot versatility. The sweet spot felt huge.
On serve, the general feeling is the same. Placement, spin and speed were tolerable. I was just happy that the ST could produce something that wasn't going to be attacked. It definitely has more potential with a healthy shoulder.
Top Spin/Slice-
The spin potential for the ST is moderate and, honestly, what you put into it. The potential is there but the easiness of it will definitely be more than my CXs but not be like anything with a more open string pattern like my SX.
Slices weren't as penetrating or stay as low like the tighter string patterns of my CXs but they were will do that job.
Comfort-
Comfort was very good. The ST didn't feel plush but was very soft. I don't have a sensitive elbow but with my ailing shoulder, the ST did not aggravate it either. I think the combination of the soft flex and thicker beam and other techs worked cohesively well here.
Feel-
For a little guy, I have stone hands. Touch is a little touchy with me. I have more success with lobs to the baseline because of the extra margin but am 50/50 when it comes to the net. I'd say, around the net, the ST has lots of potential for others with better hands. I can say that ball feel is CXs>ST=UT>SX.
For general hitting, feedback regarding where the ball strikes the string bed is good. It's soft but not muted.
Maneuverability-
This is very good stock. I would not have any problems playing it this way. The FH side felt great but the BH side could be a little quicker. I think a leather grip or a little weight under the butt-cap will do wonders.
Stability-
I didn't experience any glaring stability issues. The ST feels solid. There was one shot that was blistered at me at net but I don't remember feeling any flutter at 3 & 9. Otherwise, in the month that I playtested this, I haven't faced anyone at the 3.5 - 4.0 level that caused me to raise concerns.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This was an extremely fun playtest! Thank you TW and Head for allowing me to participate. I will be passing the torch to a friend of mine who is looking forward to trying out the Speed Tour. He currently plays with a Blade and loves the control and feel but is looking for more pop. I think he'll love the ST. It is a fantastic all around frame that will do very well in the market.
vsbabolat
Talk Tennis Guru
String and tension used for test:
HEAD Velocity 16g at 55lbs
Tennis experience/background:
I’ve been playing tennis since I’m 8 years old. I played USTA Junior Tournaments growing up, men’s open tournaments, ITF Satellites/Futures in the 90’s, men’s national tournaments from time to time, I also grew up in the tennis business working in my family’s tennis specialty store. I know how to string and customize rackets. I also have taught tennis off and on throughout my life.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I play an all court game in singles. I’m looking to work my way forward and hopefully end the point with a volley. However in doubles I’m serving and volleying and trying to get into the net as quick as possible.
Current racquet/string setups: current rackets are Prestige Classic. 600, Pro Tour 280/630, and 2023 Prestige Pro
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
10 hours of singles mostly drilling and doubles
-Groundstrokes: I found depth easy with groundstrokes. I especially liked how much my backhand took to the frame. It’s not a spin monster nor will it be because you have 8 mains in the bridge but I found good access to spin.
-Serves: the lively string bed was fun. I feel like it helped me with my kick serve with the extra width.
-Volleys: you had good penetrating volleys with this frame because of the wide 23mm beam. The layup gave you great feel and touch around the net. It’s so plush and you have the sensation of the ball sitting on your strings for a while.
-Serve returns: the wide beam gave good power and directional stability on off center returns. I still got the returns deep. The clean feel gave me confidence in my returns
Power/Control- I feel as this frame is the modern player frame people want. A wide 23mm beam but with a softer layup so that you can control your shots.
Top Spin/Slice- again spin is what you bring to the party. It’s a 16x19 string pattern but it has those 8 mains in the bridge giving you good control.
Comfort- love the plushness of the Speed Tour. So easy on the arm.
Feel- the feel is very clean. I felt very connected to the ball and my shots.
Maneuverability- with is light weight it was very easy for me to swing and maneuver. You could really get this fast modern swings going.
Stability- I thought stability was great. When I miss hit I tend to be north of the sweet spot and still felt I got decent depth on the ball and didn’t feel twisting in my hand.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: since my official playtest I added weight to my frame making it 11.8ounces/31.5cm/321SW unstrung and for my biomechanics and swing path added more power for me. It is in my bag and I am continuing play and practice with it. This frame has a lot going for it.
HEAD Velocity 16g at 55lbs
Tennis experience/background:
I’ve been playing tennis since I’m 8 years old. I played USTA Junior Tournaments growing up, men’s open tournaments, ITF Satellites/Futures in the 90’s, men’s national tournaments from time to time, I also grew up in the tennis business working in my family’s tennis specialty store. I know how to string and customize rackets. I also have taught tennis off and on throughout my life.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I play an all court game in singles. I’m looking to work my way forward and hopefully end the point with a volley. However in doubles I’m serving and volleying and trying to get into the net as quick as possible.
Current racquet/string setups: current rackets are Prestige Classic. 600, Pro Tour 280/630, and 2023 Prestige Pro
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
10 hours of singles mostly drilling and doubles
-Groundstrokes: I found depth easy with groundstrokes. I especially liked how much my backhand took to the frame. It’s not a spin monster nor will it be because you have 8 mains in the bridge but I found good access to spin.
-Serves: the lively string bed was fun. I feel like it helped me with my kick serve with the extra width.
-Volleys: you had good penetrating volleys with this frame because of the wide 23mm beam. The layup gave you great feel and touch around the net. It’s so plush and you have the sensation of the ball sitting on your strings for a while.
-Serve returns: the wide beam gave good power and directional stability on off center returns. I still got the returns deep. The clean feel gave me confidence in my returns
Power/Control- I feel as this frame is the modern player frame people want. A wide 23mm beam but with a softer layup so that you can control your shots.
Top Spin/Slice- again spin is what you bring to the party. It’s a 16x19 string pattern but it has those 8 mains in the bridge giving you good control.
Comfort- love the plushness of the Speed Tour. So easy on the arm.
Feel- the feel is very clean. I felt very connected to the ball and my shots.
Maneuverability- with is light weight it was very easy for me to swing and maneuver. You could really get this fast modern swings going.
Stability- I thought stability was great. When I miss hit I tend to be north of the sweet spot and still felt I got decent depth on the ball and didn’t feel twisting in my hand.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: since my official playtest I added weight to my frame making it 11.8ounces/31.5cm/321SW unstrung and for my biomechanics and swing path added more power for me. It is in my bag and I am continuing play and practice with it. This frame has a lot going for it.
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TwinCinema
Hall of Fame
Had another 90 minutes on this stick with new customization: now I've got 2g at 12, 1g at 3, and 1g at 9. I've finally unlocked it just how I want it, and now it's playing better than ever. This customization has found a great middle ground to maintain the whippiness but add some pop, and solidify the stability on volleys and groundies alike. I wish I hadn't played it stock for so long -- this hoop weight has almost transformed the racket into something different. It still has sensational control; the serves are amazing (I can't blow anyone off the court with my shoulder, but my placement is surprisingly consistent), and I'm getting plenty of power thanks to the combo of RHS and lead at the tip. Only drawback is it just isn't the 305S. When I went back to the T-Fight, it felt like home. The shape of the ball was just what I wanted to draw, the pop was so easy, the control nearly as good, and the feel is stellar. Plus I play that one completely stock. So I don't think this is a switch, but I'd now say the Speed Tour is the best Head racket I've played with in many years.
Shortened Review:
This racket is awesome!!! As an aggressive net rusher, it checks nearly every box: it's fast, precise, comfortable, and gave me more power than I anticipated once I committed to swinging through the ball. The one adjustment I'd recommend for anyone coming from a heavier or more head-heavy setup: add a few grams at the handle. 7 grams made a noticeable difference for me.
Once dialed in, the frame felt like it was built specifically for players who want to dominate from the service line, approach, and finish at net. If you generate your own racket speed and want a frame that rewards smart, aggressive tennis, this is the one. Loved it. So happy to have been part of this playtest!
Power: 9/10
Control: 8/10
Topspin/Slice: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10
Feel: 8/10
Maneuverability: 8/10
Stability: 7/10
This racket is awesome!!! As an aggressive net rusher, it checks nearly every box: it's fast, precise, comfortable, and gave me more power than I anticipated once I committed to swinging through the ball. The one adjustment I'd recommend for anyone coming from a heavier or more head-heavy setup: add a few grams at the handle. 7 grams made a noticeable difference for me.
Once dialed in, the frame felt like it was built specifically for players who want to dominate from the service line, approach, and finish at net. If you generate your own racket speed and want a frame that rewards smart, aggressive tennis, this is the one. Loved it. So happy to have been part of this playtest!
Power: 9/10
Control: 8/10
Topspin/Slice: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10
Feel: 8/10
Maneuverability: 8/10
Stability: 7/10
mrtrinh
Professional
String and tension used for play test
Great racket if you can generate your own power and racket head speed. I played with this in stock form and didn’t tinker with lead given the specs are close to what I like. Sadly, this isn’t a racket I would ever switch to as I prefer rackets with a bit more open string pattern and a little free power. Really appreciate the opportunity to test the racket
- Klip gut / Lynx tour 52/48. No lead was used as I wanted to play this in stock form.
- Was a solid 4.0 before kids. Been on a five year hiatus and just started playing again two months ago.
- 26’ Vcore 98. Klip gut / wasabi x 52/48
- 14 hours
- Did not feel as powerful as the vcore but felt like I can really swing out.
- Low launch angle, pretty tight string pattern
- Easy to hit flat but found spin was a bit difficult
- Stability was good for 4.0 hitting but I feel at the high level, lead may be required for additional stability.
- Had to work a bit harder for serves.
- Placement and control is good
- No free power and really need racket head speed to generate spin and pace
- Would probably need some lead at 12 o clock.
- No complaints here
- Solid and maneuverable
- Preferred volleys with the speed over the vcore
- Solid if you have some decent racket head speed
- I had trouble with depth for short swings or blocking returns on high paced flat serves.
- Again, may need to add some lead.
- Would classify this has a control racket with power on tap.
- No free power and racket head speed is required.
- Power = 6/10
- Control = 8/10
- Really enjoyed slicing with the speed tour, it keeps the ball nice and low.
- Had a hard time creating topspin and additional clearance over the net. Felt like I really needed to exaggerate scooping the ball if I wanted it to be loopy.
- If you have classic strokes I think you would enjoy this frame.
- Slice = 10/10
- Topspin = 6/10
- Soft and crisp response
- Doesn’t feel mushy which I like
- I use to have tennis elbow and I didn’t experience any discomfort
- 8/10
- Very maneuverable, especially when volleying
- Really enjoyed for doubles
- 9/10
- Stability was mediocre. At a 4.0 level its pretty stable but once you start playing against big hitters I do notice some flutter and twisting. Some lead would help fix this.
- 7/10
Great racket if you can generate your own power and racket head speed. I played with this in stock form and didn’t tinker with lead given the specs are close to what I like. Sadly, this isn’t a racket I would ever switch to as I prefer rackets with a bit more open string pattern and a little free power. Really appreciate the opportunity to test the racket
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